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    The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run-or Ruin-an Economy
    Unavailable
    The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run-or Ruin-an Economy
    Unavailable
    The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run-or Ruin-an Economy
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run-or Ruin-an Economy

    Written by Tim Harford

    Narrated by Cameron Stewart and Gavin Osborne

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A provocative and lively exploration of the increasingly important world of macroeconomics, by the author of the bestselling The Undercover Economist.

    Thanks to the worldwide financial upheaval, economics is no longer a topic we can ignore. From politicians to hedge-fund managers to middle-class IRA holders, everyone must pay attention to how and why the global economy works the way it does.

    Enter Financial Times columnist and bestselling author Tim Harford. In this new book that demystifies macroeconomics, Harford strips away the spin, the hype, and the jargon to reveal the truth about how the world's economy actually works. With the wit of a raconteur and the clear grasp of an expert, Harford explains what's really happening beyond today's headlines, why all of us should care, and what we can do about it to understand it better.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 16, 2014
    ISBN9780698151741
    Unavailable
    The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run-or Ruin-an Economy
    Author

    Tim Harford

    Tim Harford is the Undercover Economist and Dear Economist columnist for the Financial Times. His writing has also appeared in Esquire, Forbes, New York magazine, Wired, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. His books include Adapt, The Undercover Economist and The Logic of Life. Harford presents the popular BBC radio show More or Less and is a visiting fellow at London's Cass Business School. He is the winner of the 2006 Bastiat Prize for economic journalism and the 2010 Royal Statistical Society Award for excellence in journalism.

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    Reviews for The Undercover Economist Strikes Back

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      This book puts complicated issues into language that is easy to understand. Mostly, the reader comes to understand that there are no simple answers to economic problems. It is a balancing act between all the factors that affect human beings, but one that always must keep human beings firmly in the place of priority.
    • 2/5
      I previously read part of a previous book by Harford. I quit when I found it to be similar to Freakonomics. This one is worse.Part of the problem is the format. Each chapter is in the form of a question and answer session with a beginner in the subject. The style is supposed to be entertaining.For me the book is not theoretical enough and pitched at far too low a level to be of use. Some readers may find the factual content of use.
    • 4/5
      Now, I enjoyed the unconventional format and premise of this book. I've read many books on "the dismal science" and they do tend to be rather dry and difficult to get through - even for someone who enjoys the subject.Hartford does make economics accessible for those who are not "into" it. So, I highly recommend it to such people. It's funny in places and has this tone of two people chatting casually, but it packs a punch.This is not a book like the many that came out after the Financial Crisis where authors were trying to place blame on various groups or individuals. Hartford simply tries to explain why things happened as they did.If I'd had an Econ professor like Hartford, I might yet have made a career in the field. He kind of reminds me of Dan Ariely, who has been making behavioral economics more accessible to the layperson.Before reading this book, I did not know much at all about Hartford. But, having read it, I have sought out more articles and his Radio 4 program, 'More or Less'.Yes, definitely recommend this book. One of my reading highlights already this year.
    • 4/5
      It's the most enjoyable book on macro econ I've ever read. I know, that's not very convincing. It's the ONLY enjoyable book on macro econ I've ever read.He tells it in a conversational style that works really well for me, starts two chapters with Douglas Adams quotes, and addresses current issues without feeling like it's going to feel horribly dated in 10 years. If you have any interest in what the government can do to influence the economy, I recommend this as a place to start.
    • 5/5
      Harford's first book - The Undercover Economist delivers microeconomics to the masses. This sequel is a complementary treatment on macroeconomics. Harford sets out to describe the mechanics of the global economy, why we should care, and what can do better.The book posits a zero-growth model as normal, which is a welcome respite from all the high growth expectations that drives our economies and lives. Complexity science has also punctured basis for confident forecasts. Harford uses the story of (Bill) Phillips curve fame as an interesting and realistic framework for the book, the origins of macroeconomics, its progress and development over the decades. Phillip’s focus on practical models of the economy is maintained. Problems with debt, stickiness, poverty, and inequity are disclosed objectively to make the book a realistic one.Good, well-written, objective introduction to contemporary macroeconomics. The Undercover Economist Strikes Back should be this weekend’s read.
    • 4/5
      Using a question and answer dialog, Tim Harford succeeds in creating a captivating and easily understandable read in an otherwise dry and formidable science. “The Undercover Economist Strikes Back” is saturated with relevant history, fascinating stories, interesting quotes, and commonsense explanations, which all involve the reader in this journey through macroeconomics. This is the book for everyone who desires to understand the complexities of the economic world, and learn when 'supply side economics', or 'stimulus', or 'wealth distribution', or 'taxation', or 'zero inflation', or 'balanced budget', techniques may or may not work. The book works well for the level of intended audience.12/31/13
    • 4/5
      This is an excellent, breezy book about a subject that is boring as heck to most people - macroeconomics. In the form an extended Q&A session, the author introduces macroeconomics to the layperson, in the process answering common questions that have probably occurred to almost anyone who watches the news - why can't we just print more money to pay the debt, or why can't the government solve unemployment by just paying people to do makework?The author's prose style is relaxed and fun, and he manages to make this important topic both interesting and relevant to the average reader.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      In this entertaining book, Tim Harford sets out to educate his readers on the principal points of macroeconomics. The chatty and cheerful tone helps the economic medicine go down easily. Harford steers a careful course between classical economists and their Keynesian colleagues, although to this reader he appears to favor Keynes’s followers.Not a replacement for a standard macroeconomic text, the book should nevertheless be required reading for politicians, bloggers, and all those who hold forth with great conviction about the economy. If politicians could be made to understand the nuances of macroeconomics, perhaps we could claw our way out of our difficulties.One significant lapse in the book is that the author does not describe the role of banking in the economy. Without understanding this vital link, the reader is not really equipped to understand the 2008 crisis or the response to it by policymakers. If this book has a second edition, perhaps Mr. Harford will rectify this omission.